Believed

John 1:7,10-13 – He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe…He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

1 John 3:23 – And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.

Romans 8:14 – For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.

Ephesians 5:1-2 – Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

John 20:31 – But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Ephesians 2:8-9 – For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.

Application:

• ·         Membership in God’s family is by grace alone—the gift of God. It is never a human achievement; yet the imparting of the gift is dependent on human reception of it, as the words “did receive” and “believed” make clear.
• ·         People were not to believe “in” John the Baptist but “through” him.
• ·         God’s command has two parts: (1) Believe in Christ, and (2) love each other.
• ·         God is the Father of all in the sense that He created all and His love and providential care are extended to all. People become children of God through faith in God’s unique Son, and being led by God’s Spirit is the hallmark of this relationship.
• ·         One way of imitating God is to have a forgiving spirit.
• ·         “That you may believe” expresses John’s evangelistic purpose. John is written to show the truth of Jesus’ Messiahship and to present Him as the Son of God, so that the readers may believe in Him.
• ·         Faith in Christ is the only means of being made right with God. No human effort can contribute to our salvation; it is the gracious gift of God.
• ·         No one can take credit for his or her salvation.

All Scripture verses taken from NIV